They’re at it again. The defense team for accused killer George Zimmerman has once again taken to the Internet to ask his “supporters” for at least $70,000 more in cash contributions so that he can have “a fighting chance” in the trial that starts on June 10.
And once again, the pleas of Zimmerman’s lawyers appear to be working. After raising more than $314,000 since January 2 to defend himself against the second-degree murder charges for killing Trayvon Martin, the team’s fundraising website reported today that Zimmerman has received over $12,000 in just 24 hours after its public appeal. Those donations are only 10 percent of the ideal goal of $120,000, the website states.
While many people are deeply offended by the notion that Zimmerman is asking for public funds to defend himself after killing a 17-year-old boy, his lawyers are not shy about begging for more cash.
“The State has virtually unlimited resources to prosecute George,” they state on the website. “To finance his defense, however, George relies on the generosity of individuals who believe he is innocent. These are people who question the motives behind the charge against George. These are people who resent the high-profile rush to judgement against George. These are people who fear George will not get a fair trial.”
The website claims more than 240 people donated to Zimmerman’s cause over the last 24 hours, with the largest donation at $500 and many smaller donations of $10 or $20.
The site posted comments from some of the donors, including “a person from Tampa” who gave $50 and said: “I’m a former journalist. From the beginning, I knew the ‘facts’ had been manipulated. I’m an antiracist liberal, and my friends recoil in horror if I try to discuss any of the evidence. Mark O’Mara has been eloquent in challenging the ‘racist monster’ meme. When this is all over, I wish someone would write a book detailing how this has been played.”
And an individual from West Virginia donated $10.00 and said: “I don’t know if George Zimmerman is guilty or not, but he deserves the ability to defend his self in court as best he can. This donation wouldn’t be necessary if certain individuals and organizations hadn’t attempted to act as his judge, jury, and executioner in the wake of that terrible night. Good luck, and may the truth prevail, whatever it may be.”
The defense wrote that it had less than $5,000 in the trust account and liabilities of more than $20,000.
“We’ve calculated that we need another $120,000 to give George the defense he deserves. At the barest minimum, we need $75,000 to give George a fighting chance,” the post says.
On the website, the team broke down how the $314,000 has been spent, including $95,000 for bail bond, $61,747.54 for household/living expenses, $56,000 for security and $40,647.64 for “law firm support and infrastructure.”
“The defense team feels that money spent in George’s defense so far is reasonable,” the team says on the site. “We have maximize economy [sic] for the next several months as we prepare for an immunity hearing and/or trial. We are aware at all times that the money we spend is your money, often donated at great personal sacrifice, and we thank you for your support.”
The team has estimated it will need $30,000 a month throughout the duration of the legal process.
“Mr. O’Mara and Mr. West have not been paid for their services. Money has been used to pay rent on office space, for IT support, for staff dedicated to the case. Considering the scope of the Zimmerman case, these expenditures are very modest, and these expenditures are expected to remain steady until the end of the case,” the site says, predicting it will need money to pay for forensic experts and consultants.
“Whenever possible, we are asking the experts and consultants we retain to work at reduced rates or to defer compensation,” the team says.
O’Mara told the Associated Press that it’s too late for Zimmerman to be declared indigent, which would allow taxpayers to fund his defense.
“We’re surviving on the largess of others,” O’Mara said. “That said, we’re also bound to only spend what we have available to us.”
